1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a character information processor. The present invention can be applied to, for example, a tape printing apparatus which is adapted to print an input character string having one or more lines on a tape, or a stamp producing apparatus for producing a stamp whose stamp face has an uneven surface corresponding to an input character string having one or more lines.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tape printing apparatus, which is one of character printing apparatuses, is designed to facilitate preparation of a label originated by the user which is to be attached on a spine cover of a file or the like.
A conventional tape printing apparatus has a key which is provided on an operation panel and adapted to input characters so that a desired character string can be previously inputted by operating the key.
Also, the conventional tape printing apparatus has a tape feeding mechanism by which a tape can be fed and discharged through a tape discharging outlet.
Further, the conventional tape printing apparatus has a printing mechanism, including a thermal head, and a tape cutting mechanism provided in this order on the path for allowing the tape to be fed.
In the tape printing apparatus, when a print instruction key is operated, control means controls the tape feeding mechanism to feed the tape at a predetermined speed, and controls the tape printing mechanism to print the previously inputted character string on the tape thus fed.
Also, when printing of the character string is completed, the control means further controls the tape feeding mechanism to vacantly feed the tape (i.e., to feed the tape without performing printing on the tape) until a portion of the tape on which printing is completed is entirely positioned outside the tape printing apparatus, then causes the feeding of the tape to be stopped.
After the feeding of the tape is stopped, the tape portion on which the character string is printed is cut off by the tape cutting mechanism which is driven by the user or driven automatically.
Thus, a label originated by the user having thereon a desired character string can be obtained.
Meanwhile, labels prepared with the tape printing apparatus are used in various ways, and it is often used as an address label used for a letter or a post card. An address (destination) printed on the address label usually contains predetermined items, such as a zip code (hereinafter, a zip code includes a post code), an address, a company name and a person's name. Accordingly, input of such an address is usually performed in accordance with a so-called form input method in which character strings of the items are inputted item by item and the character string thus inputted are arranged by the apparatus itself. In some apparatuses, the address data inputted in accordance with the form input method is managed as a file as in the case of ordinary input data. In such apparatuses, the address data inputted in accordance with the form input method is converted into an ordinary input data and registered as a file.
However, in such apparatuses, files each containing address data (hereinafter, each of the files containing address data will be often referred to as "address file") and files each containing ordinary input data (hereinafter, each of the files containing ordinary input data will be often referred to as "non-address character-string file") are mixed. Therefore, if the user intends to edit or print an optional address file, he must perform complicated operations of extracting a desired file out of the mixed files. Further, when the user desires to modify the address data which have been converted into ordinary data, he cannot modify the address data on the form. Under the circumstances, unless the user takes the utmost care, he is in the danger of unintentionally modifying or changing the character strings of the unintended items or destroying the arrangement of the character strings.
In view of the above circumstances, there has been proposed a method in which address files and non-address character-string files are stored separately in different storage areas each having a fixed memory amount. However, according to this method, if the amount of either the address files or non-address character-string files exceeds the fixed amount thereof, files cannot be stored in their storage area even though there are empty spaces in the entire memory itself.